Project Director – Plant Healthy Certification Scheme

Job Title: Project Director – Plant Healthy Certification Scheme

Reporting to: Chair of the Plant Healthy Limited Board
Location: UK – home-based
Start Date: As soon as possible
Contract Length: Three-year contract with a view to becoming permanent
Salary: Salary range: £55,000 Full-Time-Equivalent – possible part-time role for a suitable
candidate
Employment type: Flexible – e.g. self-employed or employed by a host organisation

About

The Plant Healthy Certification Scheme is an initiative of Plant Healthy Limited which is a
charity that was established to represent the interests of the Plant Health Alliance. The
Alliance was formed in 2018 at a Plant Health summit at Highgrove. The Alliance is a
professional group of leading figures in the ornamental horticulture, landscape, arboriculture,
forestry, and general land management sectors. The Alliance’s aim is to protect plant life in
the UK and beyond. Plant Healthy Limited owns the Plant Health Management Standard and provides
the Governing Body for the Scheme. The scheme is the principal initiative of Plant Healthy
Limited and its successful roll out is deemed to be a key mechanism to improve plant
biosecurity and raise the profile of the Alliance’s purpose.

Concerns about the environmental damage that can be caused by a range of destructive plant
pests and diseases e.g. ash dieback, Phytophthora ramorum and Xylella fastidiosa) have
highlighted the need to improve plant health management and biosecurity systems along live
plant supply chains. Industry, environmental NGOs, and government have worked together to
develop the Plant Health Management Standard and the associated Plant Healthy Certification
Scheme, which was launched at Kew Royal Botanic Gardens in February 2020.

In November 2023 Plant Healthy Limited became a registered charity in England and Wales and an
Project Director is sought to lead the executive body of the charity and the certification
scheme.

Role and Responsibilities

The Plant Healthy Certification Scheme aims to raise plant health and plant biosecurity
standards across live-plant supply chains in the UK and beyond. This is to help protect our
natural environment as well as trade. Through independent, third-party audits, the scheme’s
objective is to certify growers, retailers, public gardens, arboriculturists and landscapers to
the Plant Health Management Standard requirements.

The Project Director will be responsible for working with the Chair – Sir Nicholas Bacon Bt –
and the Board of trustees, together with compliance, technical, policy and communications
personnel to lead the overall strategic direction and delivery of the scheme including
successful uptake, review, coordination and maintenance of all aspects of the Plant Health
Management Standard and certification processes.

The role will involve:

• Reporting to the Plant Healthy Limited’s Board of Trustees to communicate progress, and
  work with the trustees to develop the Standard and the scheme from financial and governance
  perspectives in order to report to the Charity Commission of England and Wales.
• Lead a Working Group by:
• Working with compliance personnel and Certification Bodies to ensure robust and
  high-quality Certification Scheme that covers small to large enterprises and organisations.
• Working with technical personnel and the Technical Advisory Group to periodically review
  and improve the Plant Health Management Standard and associated guidance resources.
• Working with Government bodies and agencies to ensure that the requirements of the Plant
  Health Management Standard align effectively with the regulatory framework and other relevant
  areas relating to Government policy in the UK.
• Working with the Scheme promotion group, Certification Bodies and stakeholders to drive
  scheme membership across target sectors.
• Representing the Plant Health Alliance and promoting the scheme at various industry,
  government and sector events aimed at raising awareness of the scheme and its benefits.
• Undertaking other reasonable duties as may from time to time be required to fulfil the
  role.

Person specification:

Essential skills and qualifications:

• An understanding and experience of working with quality assurance schemes.
• Ability to think strategically.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong administrative, organisational and time management skills.
• Project and financial management experience.
• The ability to work proactively and as part of a team.
• An understanding of: commercial horticulture, landscaping, and /or arboriculture.
• Attention to detail with the ability to multi-task, work well under pressure.
• IT literate (Google Workspace, MS Office Word, PowerPoint, and Excel).

 Desirable:

• Compliance experience, e.g. as a scheme manager, within a certification body and / or as an
  auditor.
• Knowledge and experience of working with Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)
  systems.
• Experience of working with government, trade bodies or membership organisations
• Educated to HND level or above.
• Full UK Driving Licence.

If you have the desire to help protect the plants in our gardens, parks and countryside, and
have the necessary skills and experience to be successful in this role please email:
[email protected], forwarding an up-to-date copy of your CV for consideration in the first
instance.

Closing date and time for applications: 29th February 2024 at 5.30pm.

For general information about the scheme please see: www.planthealthy.org.uk